Royal Agricultural University

The Royal Agricultural University is a public university in Cirencester, Gloucestershire, England. Established in 1845, it was the first agricultural college in the English-speaking world. The Royal Agricultural University (RAU) has been at the forefront of agricultural education and a key contributor to the land-based sector for 180 years. Today, we have more than 1,100 students studying agriculture, business, environment, equine science, farm management, food, real estate and rural land management. We are based in Cirencester, Gloucestershire and pride ourself on our links with industry and all courses are designed to meet the demands of the employment market for land-based expertise, both in the UK and worldwide. Our mission as educators is to equip a new generation to address such global challenges and to thrive through change, at this time of transition, uncertainty and turbulence in agriculture. Care for the land, however, extends beyond farming and land management - for sound decisions across much of business, policy and society needs to be rooted in an understanding of the land. To this end we collaborate in championing agricultural education and research, leading and supporting initiatives to develop a coherent, sector-wide approach. We are distinctive as a ‘university without walls’, committed to practical research, innovation and learning, with strengths in enterprise and land management.  Our vision is to be the UK’s global university for sustainable farming and land management, enabling communities locally, nationally and across the world to thrive in harmony with nature.